Sensor Array

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a sensor array, especially for measuring/detecting magnetic fields and/or torsion and/or mechanical stress, comprising a magnetizable/magnetic, particularly soft magnetic electrically conducting conductor assembly that is provided with a first conductor section in which dynamic, particularly helical magnetization can be generated, and at least one second conductor section in which especially helical anisotropy is or can be generated, magnetization being conveyable from a first into a second conductor section and being detectable by means of a tension generated above a second conductor section because of the magnetization conveyed. The invention further relates to a method for measuring/detecting magnetic fields and/or torsion and/or mechanical stress. According to said method, dynamic, particularly helical magnetization is generated in a first conductor section of a magnetizable/magnetic, especially soft magnetic electrically conducting conductor assembly while especially helical anisotropy is or can be generated in at least one second conductor section, magnetization being conveyed from a first into a second conductor section and being detected by means of a tension generated above a second conductor section because of the magnetization conveyed.

The invention concerns a sensor array, in particular for the measurement/detection of magnetic fields and/or torsions and/or mechanical tensions. The invention furthermore concerns a method to detect/measure these physical quantities.

Basically, within the state of the art sensors for detecting and/or measuring of such physical quantities are known. Problematically with the known sensor arrangements is that they often are not being highly integrable (miniaturizable) and are trouble-prone beyond that.

Task of the invention is to provide a sensor array and a detection method or measurement method for magnetic fields, torsions or tractions or mechanical deformations, which is distinguished by a low susceptibility to interference, high sensitivity, selectivity and high integrability.

Solved is this task by a sensor array, comprising a magnetizable/magnetic, particularly soft magnetic electrically conductive conductor array, with the conductor array comprising a first conductor section in which a dynamic, particularly helical magnetization can be generated, and at least exhibiting a second conductor part in which a particularly helical anisotropy is produced or can be produced, whereby a magnetization from a first into a second conductor section, in particular by spin transport can be transported, and by means of a voltage induced in a second conductor section due to the transport of the magnetization can be detected.

In addition the task is solved by a method in which in a first section of a magnetizable/magnetic, in particular soft magnetic electrically conductive conducting array a dynamic, particularly helical magnetization is generated and in at least one second section of the conductor array a particularly quasi-static particularly helical anisotropy is generated or can be generated, whereby a magnetization is being transported from a first into a second section of the conductor array and is being detected by means of a voltage generated due to the transport of the magnetization.

The essential core idea behind the invention is to provide a sensor signal, here a measurable voltage, the size and/or course/shape of which depends on the magnetic states of the above-described conductor sections, whereby the magnetic states, particularly the actual magnetizations, are depending on external influences, such as magnetic fields, tensile stresses or torsions, to which one or more of the conductor sections are exposed at the time of collecting the measurable quantity, i.e. the voltage.

The provision of such a voltage signal is due a spin transport that occurs from an above-described first conductor section into at least one second conductor section.

Achieved is such a spin transport by a magnetic excitation in a first conductor section that extends into the second conductor section, i.e. is transported there and can detected there. This excitation preferably is generated in such way that a dynamical particularly helical magnetization is generated in a first conductor section that can be achieved particularly that a superposition of an external magnetic field in which at least the first conductor section is located occurs with a magnetic field that can be generated by a current in a first conductor section. Thus the current essentially generates a magnetic field that follows the cross-section of the geometry of the conductor array, particularly a circular magnetic field, where an external magnetic field preferably has a component in the direction of the first conductor section. The superposition results in a magnetization in the first conductor section with a at least along the direction of this conductor section particularly helical component.

An external magnetic field can e.g. be produced with help of a coil arrangement or by the stray field of a permanently magnetized material that is in immediate proximity of the first conductor section. Also local magnetic fields in any direction influence the measured voltage, which is also technically exploitable.

To hereby achieve a dynamic of the particularly helical magnetization at least one of the two overlapping magnetic fields can be variable with time, preferably the magnetic field which is generated by a current through first conductor section. This is achievable by a timely varying current variable, for example an (particularly sinusoidal) AC current or a current pulse of particularly arbitrary shape.

Thus in one realization it can be provided that a current in a first conductor section is generated by a voltage pulse, in particular rectangular or trapezoidal voltage pulse, which is applied along a first conductor section. Hereby preferably the rise and/or fall times of a flank of a current pulse can be in the range from 1 to 150 nanoseconds, preferably 5 to 20 nanoseconds, in particular 15 nanoseconds. In particular, these longer rise times of the flanks lead to less oscillations in the measured voltage signal along a second conductor section, which is beneficial particularly in the presence of an electrical mismatch in the coupling of stimulating voltage into the first conductor section. Thus the time length of the flanks of the stimulating current pulse will be chosen preferably such that oscillations in the measured voltage signal are reduced, in particular being avoided.

A dynamic particularly helical magnetization in the first conductor section creates a “shake-up” of the spin system and the disappearance of the potential domain wall pinning and facilitates due to the dynamics a spin transport that is detectable, since thereby the magnetization in a second conductor section changes dynamically.

In all types of the invention the due to the spin transport originating and detected voltage that falls off along a second conductor section depends on the magnetic states of both conductor sections, such that with given magnetic state of one of the conductor sections by means of a measured voltage conclusions on the magnetic state of another conductor section can be drawn.

An especially effective spin transport or originating voltage or transport of the magnetization from a first into a second conductor section can be achieved if in the second conductor section a particularly helical anisotropy dominates, in particular if the anisotropy with respect to its spatial form corresponds at least to one component of the spatial form of the generated particularly helical magnetization in a first conductor section.

Thus the measured voltage signal in particular depends on this kind of matching and is variable by a change of this matching. The spin-flow strength between the conductor sections thus will largely be affected by their magnetic properties.

Since external magnetic fields as well as mechanical deformations and/or torsions to which one conductor section is exposed influences the present matching, the possibility arises to make conclusions on these acting physical quantities by means of the measurement of the voltage, so that an arrangement according to invention can be employed as sensor for these quantities.

In the preferred and constructive simple arrangement a first conductor section can be created between a first and a second contact on the conductor array and a second conductor section between a third and a fourth electric contact on the conductor array. Hereby it can additionally preferably be provided that a first and a second conductor section do not have a common section. Thereby an especially distortion-free four point measurement is made possible, in especially without a current or voltage in a first conductor section directly influencing the voltage along a second conductor section.

Between the first and second electrical contact a particularly time-varying voltage can be applied from the outside, e.g. a sinusoidal voltage or a rectangular or a trapezoidal voltage. By means of this voltage a current is generated within the first conducting section and so in combination with a further magnetic field a particularly helical magnetization. Between the third and the fourth contact the measured voltage can be taken that allows a conclusion on the transported magnetization.

In this arrangement as a conductor array for instance a wire of arbitrary cross section, preferably a micro wire or a thin strip of adequate material can be chosen. Here the first and second conductor sections can be electrically connected by means of the same material.

In a different arrangement it might also be provided that a first conductor section is electrically separated from a second conductor section. Also thereby a direct galvanic influence of the voltages is excluded. An effective transfer of the magnetization between the conductor sections is to be understood here that the first conductor section acts as a particularly helical transmitter and the signal is received by the second conductor section as a particularly helical particularly matched antenna.

According to one realization of the sensor array in accord with the invention for efficient spin diffusion into the magnetic/magnetizable material of a second conductor section the torsion status can be crucial since a mechanical torsion can induce a particularly helical anisotropy, particularly in combination with an external magnetic field, in which also a second conductor section can be present or particularly in combination with special material properties of the material used for the conductor sections that can contribute to a particularly helical anisotropy upon torsioning. Thus it was realized that a twist or a torsioning of a soft magnetic strip or wire generates a particularly helical magnetic anisotropy. For the two opposite rotation directions different screw directions of the particularly helical magnetic anisotropy are resulting.

Thus by the method according to invention upon a given particularly helical magnetization in a first conductor section by means of the measurable voltage that falls off along a second conductor section, a magnitude and/or a direction of a torsion of a second conductor section can be measured. Hereby the particularly helical magnetization in a first conductor section can be provided by the choice of the external magnetic field and of a current, particularly a current pulse, and particularly can be known. The arrangement according to invention therefore is suited as a torsion sensor.

Thereby because of the steep current pulse a first conductor section provides a magnetic excitation in the rising and falling flank. The particularly helical magnetic anisotropy in a second conductor section selects according to what has been the above the matching from the first conductor section emanating excitation, which e.g. leads to different signs of the measured voltage pulses for opposite particularly helical anisotropy of the second conductor section.

In an additional arrangement it might also be provided that to a conductor section, particularly to a second conductor section, a particularly helical anisotropy is statically impressed.

Thus the particularly helical anisotropy, in particular in a second conductor section during the manufacturing process, can be produced. It might e.g., be statically impressed by suitable heat treatment (annealing) of a where appropriate, twisted conductor section with/without magnetic field/current flow.

Instead of twisting the material during annealing also the helicity of domain walls can be frozen in by annealing without an external magnetic field. This makes possible the automatization of the production process and potentially the large scale integration of the sensors described here, for instance for applications in magnetic random-access-memories (M-RAMs).

For instance with a fixed particularly helical anisotropy of a second conductor section the combination of the pulse direction and flank direction and magnetic field direction the possibility can open to distinguish logical states, whereby a logical state is given by the presence of a magnetic field or of its magnitude or of its direction. Is therefore, particularly in the surroundings of a first conductor section, where appropriate, in the surroundings of the whole sensor array, an external magnetic field is present (e.g. earth field) then the measured voltage along a second conductor section is different from that when no external magnetic field or a magnetic field with different direction/magnitude is present. Thus the sensor array, in particular with high integration, can be employed as a reading device for magnetic storages, in which a magnetic field describes a logical state. Also, by magnetic field and applied current pulse logical states can be linked.

For instance this can be achieved if in the surroundings of a conductor section a magnetic/magnetizable element, particularly a permanent magnet or an element in remanence, is arranged. For instance it might also concern a magnetizable disk storage with regions having different magnetizations which can be interrogated with a sensor according to invention in the way that a probing “read”-current pulse runs through a first conductor section and a voltage pulse is measured at a second conductor section that represents the result of the readout of the corresponding storage region.

Likewise the sensor array also itself can serve as a readable storage element, if from the outside influence is taken on the particularly helical anisotropy in a second conductor section. Thus for instance logical states then can be stored and read out. This presupposes that the sensor array contains a means for changing of the particularly helical anisotropy in a second conductor section.

In one implementation of the invention it can be provided that a first and a second conductor section are linearly arranged one behind the other, whereby it is possible to provide several second conductor sections, for instance in linear arrangement to both sides of a first conductor section.

In another implementation a first and at least one second conductor section can be arranged under an angle with respect to each other, particularly under a right-angle with respect to each other. Also, two or more second conductor sections can be arranged linearly one behind the other and under an angle, particularly under a right angle with respect to a first conductor section. Principally the above-described implementations can also arbitrarily be combined.

It is advantageous with several second conductor sections that a voltage signal from a second conductor section can be used as a reference signal for a signal that is gained from one or several second conductor sections. Thereby in particular disturbances such as influences from unwanted magnetic fields (earth magnetic field) can be excluded by a reference comparison, since such a disturbing magnetic field also acts with respect to a measurement of the reference voltage.

In a further alternative or also cumulative implementation a further conductor section to which a steering voltage is applied/applicable can be arranged between a first and a second conductor section, whereby the measurable voltage along a second conductor section is depending on the steering voltage. In this manner a magnetic switch is being realized.

For instance between two conductor sections an additional contact pair can be arranged in order to apply a voltage there such that a current flows through the corresponding conductor element. The thereby caused disturbance of the spin transport unhindered at 0 voltage influences the magnitude of the voltage signal in a second conductor section.

Besides the possibility to have a pulsed current flowing in a first conductor section by application of an exciting pulsed voltage there is also the possibility to apply an exciting periodic sinusoidal voltage to the first conductor section. Thereby also in the measured voltage that is measurable along a second conductor section a periodic sinusoidal voltage results, the phase position of which is variable with respect to the exciting voltage and depends on the magnetic states in the conductor sections. For instance by a torsion that changes a magnetic state in a second conductor section a change in the phase position can be caused. Thus an arrangement according to invention can also be used as a phase shifter where a change of the magnetic states not only can be caused by torsion but also by all of the previously described procedures.

As materials for forming a conductor array soft magnetic, particularly amorphous materials and in particular iron- or preferably cobalt based material are used that also are referred to as metallic glasses. The following materials for instance may be used: Co70/Si+B23/Mn5/Fe+Mo2 or CO66/Si15/B14/Fe4/Ni1. Also other magnetic alloys can be used.

A sensor according to invention is distinguished in summary that tension or torsion can be measured in magnitude and direction (a) or with impressed torsion (in general: impressed particularly helical anisotropy) a conclusion on an external magnetic field superimposed to the sensor can be drawn in magnitude and direction (b). Mode (b) is particularly suited as a sensitive magnetic field sensor.

The sensor is characterized others on magnetic base (magneto resistance- or magneto impedance-based) in that the as the measurement signal used voltage is free from system-dependent background or opposite to inverse Wiedemann-effect based magnetic field- or mechanical tension/torsion sensors due to the absence of a pickup coil needed there.

Therefore in usage by means of the invention a sensor structure is possible that is simpler in production and highly integratable. In cooperation of mechanical on the sensor material acting quantities such as torsion and/or tension with magnetic quantities (superimposed magnetic field) and electrical operational quantities such as the current through a first conductor section in direction, magnitude and pulse- or waveform, a voltage originates in a second conductor section that depends reproducibly on these quantities and serves as the readout quantity.

The subsequent figures show preferred implementation examples of the invention. Therein:

FIG. 1 shows a sensor according to invention in the application as torsion/magnetic field sensor in linear arrangement of first and second conductor section.

FIG. 2 shows a sensor according to invention in bent arrangement of first and second conductor section.

FIG. 3 shows a sensor according to invention with two second conductor sections that are arranged in a right angle with respect to the first conductor section.

FIG. 4 shows the temporally course of a measured voltage at two opposite torsions of 15 degrees in relation to the exciting bipolar current pulses.

FIG. 5 shows the temporally course of a measured voltage at unipolar current pulses and a given torsion

FIGS. 6-8 show the dependence of the measured voltage signal on the temporally length of the flanks of the current pulses

FIG. 9 shows the signal voltage at fixed magnetic field in dependence on the torsion

FIG. 10 shows the signal voltages in dependence on magnetic field, torsion and current pulse direction

FIG. 11 shows a sensor according to invention in application as reading device for magnetic storages

FIG. 12 shows the dependence of a temporally signal with/without magnetized material in the surroundings of a first conductor section.

FIG. 13 shows the dependence of the phase location between exciting and measured voltage on the torsion

The FIG. 1 shows a sensor according to invention in principal version. The crucial element of the sensor can be a thin strip of (soft) magnetic material. In one implementation, a thin, laterally on a substrate mounted strip with a thickness for instance less than 100 micrometers or a micro wire, in another implementation a perpendicular with respect to a substrate mounted cylindrical body can be intended. Also thin, for instance evaporated films can be used.

In the FIG. 1 the first design is illustrated. The sensor is divided functionally into two sections. A for instance homogeneous soft magnetic strip 1 is by contacting separated into two electrical regions that are located between contacts A, B and C, D. The section between the contacts A and B constitutes the first conductor section that can be designated here because of its function also as “spin pump” and the part between C and D constitutes a second conductor section, also referred to as receiver.

The sensor is supported for instance by a substrate plate. The plate can be rigid underneath the spin pump. In the region of the receiver the substrate plate has to be sufficiently flexible to enable the twisting. If only small torques are provided, the receiver might also be freely attached between the connections B and C, where the lead D for instance can be connected rigidly with a mounting plate of the spin pump. Because of a length shortening during twisting it also can be provided that the position of connection D is variable in position, particularly with respect to a mounting plate of the spin pump.

A possibly intended substrate might consist of an electrically insulating material. It can serve to carry the sensor and all electrical connections mechanically stable. It is at least as large as the spin pump and has the property to be rigid in the region underneath the spin pump and to be torsion-elastically in the region underneath the receiver. The connections of the receiver are wires that by appropriate means are that flexible not to hinder the torsion. This for instance can be provided by adding a short loop in each of the wires.

The contacts B and C preferably shall not touch each other to enable a genuine four point measurement.

The feature of this sensor is that the voltage ΔV depends on the magnetic state of the spin pump as well as on that of the receiver. The magnetic state of the spin pump is influenced for the measuring principle crucially by the cooperation of the direction of the current pulse I and falling and raising flank and an on the spin pump acting external magnetic field H_(ext). The magnetic state of the receiver in this implementation is influenced essentially by its mechanic twist.

Since the receiver between C and D is not flown through by the current I, a voltage ΔV (on the assumption of the perfect four point measuring method) can only arise if between the contacts C and D a generator with an electromotive force is present. Here the generator is based upon the principle that due to a dynamical spin transport from the spin pump into the receiver a voltage is generated.

The FIG. 1 sketches the principal of the invention. However it is not necessary that the receiver is in linear arrangement with the spin pump. Equally by an angle θ bent arrangement between spin pump and receiver is possible, as shown in FIG. 2. This arrangement originates from a plane magnetic thin strip. Crucial in this implementation is that the spin pump and the receiver turn into each other without an interruption.

The spin pump can also supply several receivers that can be twisted independently from each other as FIG. 3 shows. This is of advantage for compensation of the influence of an external magnetic field. Here again between the contacts A and B the exciting voltage is coupled in. Measured is on the one hand between C and D and on the other hand between D′ and C′, whereby the latter contacting accomplishes the measurement of a reference signal. Hereby the spin pump and the reference receiver are arranged on a rigid substrate, whereas the receiver is mounted flexibly and twistable. Hereby also the reference receiver exhibits a particularly helical anisotropy.

The voltage ΔV not only depends on the torsion angle but also on an external magnetic field (earth field, other disturbing fields) that superimposes the magnetic field necessary for functioning. This unwanted property can be removed advantageously due to the special properties of the detection principle. The spin pump not only sends its signal in the direction of the receiver drawn upward to the spin pump with reference to FIG. 1, but also downward. This means a second receiver can also be mounted downward symmetrically to the spin pump, or as in FIG. 3 in a T-arrangement. Also a double-T arrangement with four receivers is feasible, also arrangements with even more receivers.

Dimensions of the magnetic strip in the linear arrangement of FIG. 1 are about 10 mm×1 mm×30 μm. Current flow peak-peak about 100 mA, voltage ΔV about 50 mV.

A pulse generator can produce for instance a periodic pulse sequence for coupling into the spin pump. The FIG. 4 shows at the bottom a typical exciting bipolar pulse. The measured voltage signal ΔV (FIG. 4 top) is bipolar as well and for instance amounts after amplification to about ±800 mV. It can be recognized here that measured voltage peaks are resulting that are in positioned in time at the flanks of the exciting current pulses. It can be recognized furthermore that upon clockwise twisting by about 15 degrees a larger voltage signal results than in a measurement with twisting counter clockwise by 15 degrees. Also, the voltage signal has different polarities.

In contrast the FIG. 5 shows a measured voltage course at fixed external magnetic field and a unipolar pulse sequence. Again in the flanks of the exciting pulse distinguished measured voltage pulses are resulting, now with different polarity.

After an amplification of the measured voltage this for instance can be rectified and serves as measurement quantity for the rotation angle in the torsion. The compensation against fluctuations of the surrounding magnetic field can be performed by comparison with a reference signal, for instance by a subtraction of a reference signal ΔVref from ΔV or by electronic division of ΔV by ΔVref, either analog or digitally after digitalization of the signals, if for instance measurement is done in the arrangement according to FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 b shows an exciting voltage pulse for operating the spin pump with a flank steepness of about 9 nanoseconds. Possibly due to non-optimal electrical matching in the in-coupling of the voltage pulse into the spin pump it comes to clear oscillations in the measured voltage signal in the receiver (FIG. 6 a) that are influencing the quality of the measurement.

In contrast the FIG. 7 b shows an exciting pulse with a flank steepness of about 100 nanoseconds. Clearly in the measured voltage signal of the FIG. 7 a the overshoots are minimized without losing significantly signal strength.

Only by further prolongation of the flank rise time to about 639 nanoseconds as shown in FIG. 8 b an amplitude loss in the measured signal of FIG. 8 b is seen. Accordingly it will be the aim to choose a flank rise/fall time of the current pulses through the spin pump that is optimally adjusted with respect to the signal and here is preferably in the range between 5 to 200 nanoseconds.

FIG. 9 shows a measurement curve where the dependence of the measured voltage on the torsion angle at a constant external magnetic field is revealed. Thus it can be seen that with a sensor array according to invention a torsion-angle sensor can be realized.

The FIG. 10 shows in several graphs the characteristic dependence of the measured voltage signal on the applied external magnetic field as well as on torsion and the direction of the current pulse in the first conductor section. Recognizable is between the graphs A and B that upon a change of the torsion direction the in dependence of the magnetic field measured voltage signal effectively reverses. The dashed curves show the voltage course at the in each case different flank.

Upon equal torsion and changed current direction the graphs A and C or B and D show a mirroring of the signal at the abscissa and ordinate. Particularly the dependence of the signal course on the external magnetic field opens thereby the application as a magnetic field sensor, for instance in magnetic storage arrangements.

Such an application is shown in principle in FIG. 11. The essential arrangement is as in FIG. 1, whereby now the top twisted part of the receiver shall illustrate a static particularly helical anisotropy that is impressed to this conductor section. In the proximity of the spin pump a magnetized material is positioned, the magnetic field strength or field direction of which or its fundamental existence or non-existence in the surroundings of the spin pump or of the whole sensor influencing the measured signal.

To this basic arrangement the FIG. 12 shows a voltage course at the receiver once (thick line) with a present local external magnetic field and once (thin line) with absent local external magnetic field. Thus it is seen that the arrangement according to FIG. 11 can provide a reading array for magnetic storages. Depending on whether such a reading array is arranged toward a local external magnetic field or not or if direction or magnitude of the field changes, logical information that is coded in the magnetic field can thus be read. Clearly it can be seen here that the measured voltage signal here differs by the factor 2 and allows a clear discrimination of the existence of the external field. Thus for instance a readout of a magnetic state of remanently magnetized data bits with help of the here described magnetic field sensor can be performed instead of other principles.

FIG. 13 shows a signal course between exciting and measured voltage of spin pump or receiver at a sinusoidal excitation. Here it can be recognized that the phase position of the voltages with respect to each other changes in dependence of a torsion of the receiver. Thus this arrangement according to FIG. 1 can also be employed as a phase shifter. Compared to torsion of about −50 degrees a torsion of about +10 degrees results in a phase change of close to 180 degrees.

Further potential applications result for instance in the readout of the height of a scanning tip above a sample (scanning force microscope) instead of the so far common optical height determination.

Equally a torque wrench can be realized in which a measurement is performed of the twisting of a torque transmitting rod that connects the head of the wrench with the lever arm. 

1. A sensor array, in particular for measurement/detection of magnetic fields and/or torsions and/or mechanical tensions, the array comprising a magnetizable/magnetic, in particular soft magnetic electrically conductive conductor array, whereby the conductor array possesses a first conductor section in which a dynamical, particularly helical magnetization can be generated, and has at least one second conductor section in which a particularly helical anisotropy is generated or can be generated, whereby a magnetization is transportable from a first into a second conductor section and is detectable by means of an along a second conductor section generated voltage due to the magnetization transport.
 2. The sensor array according to claim 1 wherein in a first conductor section a dynamic, particularly helical magnetization can be generated by means of a timely varying current running through the conductor section that generates a magnetic field that is superimposed with an external magnetic field.
 3. The sensor array according to claim 1 wherein a first conductor section is prepared between a first and a second electrical contact on the conductor array and a second conductor section between a third and a fourth electrical contact on the conductor array, in particular where a first and a second conductor section have no section in common.
 4. The sensor array according to claim 1 wherein a first conductor section is electrically separated from a second conductor section.
 5. The sensor array according to claim 1 wherein a particularly helical anisotropy in a second conductor section can be generated by means of torsioning of a second conductor section.
 6. The sensor array according to claim 1 wherein to a conductor section, particularly to a second conductor section a particularly helical anisotropy is statically impressed.
 7. The sensor array according to claim 1 wherein in the surroundings of a conductor section a magnetic/magnetizable element, in particular a permanent magnet or an element in remanence, is located.
 8. The sensor array according to claim 1 wherein a first and a second conductor section are arranged linearly one behind the other.
 9. The sensor array according to claim 1 wherein a first and a second conductor section are arranged under an angle, in particular a right angle with respect to each other.
 10. The sensor array according to claim 1 wherein two second conductor sections are arranged linearly one behind the other and under an angle, in particular a right angle with respect to a first conductor section.
 11. The sensor array according to claim 1 wherein a between a first and a second conductor section a further conductor section is positioned to which a steering voltage is applied/can be applied, whereby the voltage measurable along a second conductor section is dependent on the steering voltage.
 12. The sensor array according to claim 1 wherein rise- and/or fall time of a flank of a current pulse in a first conductor section is in the range of 1 to 150 nanoseconds, preferably 5 to 20 nanoseconds, in particular 15 nanoseconds.
 13. The sensor array according to claim 1 wherein a first conductor section is arranged on a rigid carrier element, particularly where a second conductor section is arranged on a flexible substrate.
 14. The sensor array according to claim 1 wherein a magnetic conductor array is produced by an amorphous soft magnetic material, particularly iron- or preferably cobalt-based material.
 15. Use of a sensor array according to claim 1 as data-storage element and/or as readout device for magnetic data storages and/or as switching element and/or as torsion meter.
 16. A method for measurement/detection of magnetic fields and/or torsions and/or mechanical tensions, wherein in a first conductor section of a magnetizable/magnetic, particularly soft magnetic electrically conducting conductor array a dynamic, particularly helical magnetization is generated and in at least a second conductor section a particularly helical anisotropy is generated or can be generated, whereby a magnetization is transported from a first into a second conductor section and is detected by means of a voltage generated along a second conductor section because of the magnetization transport.
 17. The method according to claim 16 wherein with a given particularly helical anisotropy in at least one of the second conductor sections by the measurable voltage an external magnetic field is being detected to which at least one of the conductor sections is exposed at the time of the measurement.
 18. The method according to claim 16 wherein with a given dynamic, particularly helical anisotropy in a first conductor section by the measurable voltage a magnitude and/or direction of a torsion of a second conductor section is being measured. 